UMD’s Economic Impact on Duluth Community

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth community often refers to the Twin Ports as a college town. That being said, with the start of every fall semester, that name becomes a reality.

Since 1947, University of Minnesota Duluth has been a staple for students, professors, and other staff over the years. The UMD campus has impacted the community economically. Every fall, it is estimated that UMD adds close to 10,000 people to the Duluth population. A study was done in 2020 to see just how impactful the campus really is.

“Essentially, the total impact of the students, the staff and faculty the university’s operations, everything. Contributed to 4,100 jobs in the community. More than $581 million in total spending. And that was back a few years ago. That number has probably increased slightly since that time,” explained Monica Haynes, Director Bureau of Business Economic Research at UMD.

The economy from the University also faces some challenges. Issues in the rental housing market has a hard time keeping up with the influx of students.

“It does create challenges for finding affordable, you know, high quality rental housing for not just students, but everyone in the community,” said Hayes.

That being said though, Haynes said local businesses appreciate the revenue brought in by the UMD students.